


Shot in the Dark

by tea_notes



Category: Tales of Crestoria
Genre: Aegis likes Vicious, Body Horror, Canon Divergence, Crushes, Frenemies, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, Idiots in Love, Introspection, Its because the friendships come first and these idiots have complicated feelings for each other, Kanata cares deeply about Misella, Kanata is oblivious about his own feelings for Vicious, Secret Crush, Self-Reflection, Teenage Drama, There will be misadventures, Vicious be like that, Vicious likes Kanata and so does Misella, With Forte later, You're probably wondering why its labeled gen with all of these romantic tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-12
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:29:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29977416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tea_notes/pseuds/tea_notes
Summary: Vicious once thought freedom meant having nothing to lose, but he learned he still felt free with someone to lose because one thing remained the same; he still wasn't afraid to die. He didn't fear death when life had no meaning, and now he doesn't fear death if it meant pushing the squad a little more forward toward some optimistic future only Kanata could see.Kanata's kindness changed his heart more than he ever thought possible, and he can't imagine life any other way. Vicious couldn't stop thinking about it. Everything about him was tangibly impossible, challenging, and he welcomed it. Misella is right, Kanata had a goodness unmatched for this world and Vicious will shape it to something where it will fit him whether he sees it in the end or not.
Relationships: Kanata Hjuger & Misella, Kanata Hjuger & Vicious, Kanata Hjuger/Vicious, Orwin Granberg & Vicious, Yuna Azetta & Vicious
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

Transgressors disappear into nothing.

Their bodies, their possessions, and worse of all; their hopes and dreams vanish the moment they are condemned. Only the angry warped memory of who they once were remained in the air, and even that faded in time to gossip and deepened resentment throughout vision orbs all over the world. Survivors were rare, a human wielding their action even more so.

Kanata Hjuger was a remarkable young man who had done both, and after surviving the first few days as a Transgressor, Kanata thought to become a traveling artist. Other than someone who endlessly fought to survive, he saw room for creation, room to leave behind the memory of his eyes should he disappear to the hand of an enforcer one day. He had stolen his first set of art supplies and practiced in atonement of the action. For months he studied in the price of the occasional full night’s rest and plenty of lost conversations because he wanted to make his theft worth it. He wanted to be remembered and seen, he wanted to share sides of the world people too cooped up in towns were too weak or afraid to see.

But he never thought he could sell some of those pieces.

“This will look so lovely at my storefront! Thank you kindly!”

He had forgotten how nosy people could be in gated towns. A woman had peered over his shoulder and saw into his sketch book; an intimate closeup of a flower dripping with dew he had drawn. Another flower, a Brightblaze, was the initial pick but he couldn’t bare part with it.

“No, thank _you_ so much for the tip!!”

“I’ll be sure to let my friends know. Kanata, was it?”

“That’s right!”

“Okay, Kanata. Try not to draw too much, okay? Give your hand the chance to heal. It’d be hard to draw with bandaged hands!” The woman was too busy admiring her purchased artwork to see how he flinched or even frowned momentarily. She was already walking around the corner to her presumed shop. Kanata bounced the weight of the bag of gald in his hand; it was quite hefty, and he couldn’t wait to show off to his friends. He hurried down the opposite end of the street to the inn where at least a quarter of them would be hanging about.

At the outdoor seating was Yuna and Orwin enjoying aromatic tea. There notably wasn’t food present, but surely, he could change that. He hurried to the table and was greeted with raised hands before he arrived up close. He learned to stop shouting his greetings after one too many scares of Makina or someone else. He still did not greet with words; he dropped his healthy sack of compensation on the table.

Orwin whistled, and the tune dragged as he lifted the bag between rugged pinched fingers.

“My my,” Yuna began in that sweet tone of hers. “That is quite a bit of money, Kanana. How’d you secure that?”  
  
“A store owner bought one of my drawings!” He couldn’t help but to share a proud grin with his wise companions. “I’m going to work on another one in hopes I can get lucky again—”

“Hey now,” Orwin began, pausing his words until Kanata made eye contact with him. “Let’s not call it luck, and neither rely on hope. You have skill and y’gotta carry yourself with confidence.”  
  
“Oui oui, Mr. Granberg was a salesman in his _distant_ past, and some tricks of the trade _never_ change.”

“Damn right! It’s how I got my wife—but anyway. Wrack up some more artwork, take your time, and then I’ll give you some pointers goin’ forward. Sounds good?”  
  
“Yeah. Thanks, Orwin, Yuna.” The coin sack was returned to Kanata but he soon gave it to Yuna.

“Mm?”

“You’re good with money. Hold it?”

“Ooh… I don’t think this time, handsome. Aegrouch will fuss and fuss until I somehow produce proof it is your fund and not mine-”  
  
“Nah, it’s ours.” He looked between the two, confused of their giggling and moreso when the money was slid back toward him. “Guys…”

“It’s yours, dearest.”

“You’re perhaps the nicest sixteen-year-old I’ve seen,” Orwin continued to laugh unlike Yuna. “How bout this: you do as you see fit going forward? Pitching in is more or less the same deal.”

“And, and, I will let you in on a secret. Lean in, would you please?” Her grin thinned with how widely it stretched in how skeptical Kanata looked despite leaning in. “It is Vicious birthday tomorrow!”  
  
“Huh?!” Kanata was alarmed enough to jump into a stiffened posture to hear the information.

“Huh, really?” Orwin was calmer but amused to hear that fella revealed a birthday to anyone.

“Mmhmm~” Yuna answered. In spite of telling the truth, she had a glint in her eyes in play to see if she could cast a bit of doubt.

“Neat, we’re neighbors of the zodiac. Figures.” Orwin believed her, he took a long sip of his healthy green tea. “I say her intel’s legit. Vicious reminds me of my fiery years and we mostly like the same things. He is definitely a sassy Taurus.”

“ _That’s_ your reasoning, Mr. Granberg?”  
  
“Mmhm. That thing’s _always_ right, you can’t make me doubt.”  
  
“Well,” Kanata began with an airy chuckle. “He has me very convinced. Thank you for telling me, Yuna. Have you seen him around by the way?”

Aegis had overheard on his way to the table and spoke up, “if you mean Vicious, isn’t it time for one of his cat naps?” He had his arms crossed just thinking about him laying about like a hobo somewhere away from people. “I do know that Misella’s gathering necessities… she’ll be back shortly.”

“Thanks, Aegis!” Kanata said before he pocketed his money. “I dunno what I can get ‘im yet, but maybe an idea will come while looking for him?”

“You can try the outskirts, but be careful to not wander too far out, Kanata.” Aegis suggested. The heart of the team was a magnet for that troublesome Vicious. He could always find him and the same could be said for the devilish trigger. “If he’s sleeping, he’ll ignore you if the ruckus of a fight isn’t loud enough!”

“Heh heh. Yeah, that’s true, but we’ve been at this for several months now! I’m gonna carry myself with the confidence Orwin talked about~. See you guys in a few! I’ll cook a hearty lunch, okay? No room for nays!” Kanata was quick footed on his way to the outskirts of town to find Vicious. There was no upsets in the neighborhood, near the shops… Neither at the gates; Vicious was definitely sleeping somewhere outside of town.

He was at a crossroads when he thought about Aegis’ warning he really wanted to take into consideration… But why did the overgrown imp wander so far backward? Kanata walked from where they came the day before. He thought about a massive tree that Vicious was a little familiar toward before they continued on in sake of the girls. As he predicted, Vicious was close by; evidenced in the scorch marks on the ground and some shattered stones. Whatever met his path was cindered into nothing and not edible. He continued onward until he was looking up in the filtered sunlight of this giant mana rich tree.

It was a moment of searching until he caught a glimpse of Vicious' ragged coat tails hanging down and dancing in the breeze.  
  
“How can he nap up there?” Kanata wondered aloud. He circled the area trying to get a clearer view of him, but the branch was just too large. He decided to climb up a raised root of this tree that threatened to dwarf his petite frame were he not so stubborn. It paid off, he could see Vicious better, and with a deep inhale he discovered the air was certainly fresher here. “Huh.” It was pretty peaceful too… He thought should he wake him?

…

No. Not yet, anyway. He had his knapsack with him and dug in it for his sketch pad and pencils.

Orwin told him to take his time, Aegis told him not to wander out too far and he heed neither today. Kanata was far off and Kanata begun to sketch. Even with the cramp in his wrist he did not stop measuring nor mapping the outline of what his eyes focused on.

His palette was limited but fortunately for all this time he had little use for red and black was always plentiful.

He had his first crack at Vicious during a quick break at New Year’s Day, and since then he penciled the shape of his jaw, the curls of his hair, and his mean little eyes through the spring. Now in the edge of the upcoming summer, he didn’t need to steal glances to draw his frame or the initial details of his features. His hand swept through the shape of his hair like calligraphy, and he went through the motions a second time so he could color in the mysterious flow of red at a later time. Vicious was so still it was like he was not breathing… and it was helpful to the intermediate artist who was lost in the memory he wanted to jot down, and now blue printed to _paint._

Kanata had to glance up for the bizarre coat he once got slapped over. He remembered the gist of its outline, but not the exact patterns of the unique wear. When he dipped his head again to map the detail for coloring, the sudden sound of magic gunfire startled him into looking up with a gasp. Vicious could quickdraw with his bloodsin unlike the others theatrical summoning. They just poofed-in just like that, and just like now; slaying a large bird to plummet into the ground with the heaviest thud. Kanata’s eyes scanned how impressively Vicious did not even pierce a single leaf of this tree with that clean shot…

The gun disappeared and Vicious’ hand rested atop his chest once more as he had a sleepy hum.

Wait—

If he could shoot a monstrous bird like that, did he know…does he know… Kanata scrunched up for a moment as he recalled the scratching sounds of pencils on sturdy paper. Vicious probably heard him, but it didn’t mean he knew what he was drawing. His fingers traced the surface very carefully, smudging the cape some, but not irreparably. …He closed the book.

“Vicious.”  
  
“Are ya done?”

“Huh?”  
  
“ _I said_ “are ya done”, Kanata.”

“Um—Yeah.”  
  
“Liar.” He managed to contain a huff of laughter behind a fanged smirk all to himself. He could hear how Kanata fumbled down below between keeping the book on his lap or putting it away. “What’d I said about half assin’ things?”

“I’m good! It’s good!” His voice was high pitched but soft spoken. “I wanna make lunch and I can’t without you around.”

“Hmph…” It was his turn to fidget just a bit between sitting up or remaining how he was…

“Also... Yuna said your birthday’s tomorrow.”  
  
“Huuuh…” An amused sound of confirmation. So Orwin was right, the alluring journalist was not fibbing. “What’d you trade for that?” His words were carried by a tumble of laughter.

“I didn’t trade a thing. She just told me…” Since they were talking… he flipped his sketchbook back open. He realized he was talking in his indoor voice and the great transgressor heard him clearly, how fascinating that was.

“Then ya impressed her somehow.” Vicious was correct in his confident assumption of his first friend.

“I made a healthy amount of pay from a drawing I made, and I guess somewhere in the revelation she saw it fit to tell me.”

“Heh. You’ve been scribblin' in that thing long enough, better get somethin' out of it.”

“Eh? Money’s a small perk to me…” Kanata had a pen now and darkened the lines he was satisfied with. “I’m not gonna sell everything…” He softly mused aloud as he continued to ink permanence to his work.

“Why not? That sounds like wasted energy-”

“…I don’t wanna be forgotten, Vicious. I don’t want any of us to be forgotten…” Silence hung, but it didn’t seem to be bad to Kanata. “Anyways, I’m done for real now, come down already, will you?” Vicious flipped out of the tree. Something that would shatter human legs did nothing to him; Kanata didn’t even hear a single bone crack from his cat-like landing. Vicious was so fast Kanata didn’t have the time to put his things away. The subject had looked at his artwork head on. “…Ah…”

“How much for that one?”

Kanata softly gasped before he could find the words. What use was there closing the book now? His fingers clenched around the bound edges.

“Not for sale.”

“Ah you’re not done yet.”

“Even then.”

“…’s that so, huh?” He took two steps ahead; his hands cradled the back of his black and red head as his arms formed a casual triangle. “Cool cause I don’t have a lick of profit in my pocket righ’ now.” He twisted his body some to look at the confused Kanata. “Y’better keep my likeness in the best condition, Kanata! My zero gald poster is in your hands!”

“Wait are you claiming—”

“It is completely mine as of tomorrow, whatever state its in. That is the price of knowin' my damn birthday nillywilly.”

“But I didn’t ask! She just blurted it out!”

“Yeah and you’re coverin' her with the easiest debt in the world. Anyways, it’s fitting.” Kanata was stuck on his ass, so Vicious approached him and leaned forward in a condescending way. His hands on his knees to stay upright as he crunched his tall form to get on Kanata’s nerves about his small stature. “If I told ya a secret she doesn’t know will ya stop bein’ a poutin' babyface?” Just like that, in a blink-two blinks, Kanata’s crinkled eyebrows perked, and with a nod his frown went away. “It’s fitting cause tomorrow I’ll be a hundred years young.”

“Wh—what?! Y-you’re joking!!”

“Nope. I’ll be a hundred tomorrow,” he had his crooked grin, the sincerest of his grins, and it left Kanata with a slacked jaw. Vicious stood up tall and straight, he had his hands on his hips looking like a puffed-up bird. “So, if y'wanna get your revenge today or tomorrow, just say you know how old I am, but _not_ how old I am or I’ll kill ya. Can’t be givin’ Orwin leeway to make _me_ the decrepit! Feh. So, chop chop, Le Petit!” He clapped his hands over and over with several seconds of pause in-between. He didn’t stop until Kanata hurriedly put his sketchbook away, fastened his backpack and hurried on ahead with Vicious keeping long ranged lookout for foes.


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn’t until now that Kanata realized how far away from the party he and gunslinger were. The wayward swordsman paused in the middle of the fork road to admire the gigantic city in the horizon. Taking the time to bask in its view made him think of everything he’s lost to get here. Back at Dalchia, Kanata was like a miniature lord. High status and had some reach, but it wasn’t through bloodlines nor complete wealth like Natalia or Luke. Traveling the world had humbled him about that as well as what existed outside of humble small towns.

This massive city crowded with technology was so full of wonder he was in shock at how he hadn’t heard of it until their months long travel. To see buildings so far away was… breath taking.

“Kana~taaa~!” Vicious had genuinely sang Kanata’s name and woke him out of his dreamy reminiscence. The powerful transgressor had such quick strides in his walk he caught up to the artist in seconds. “Why’d you stop?” Vicious’ singing had brought back a memory to Kanata. He turned around to look up at him with questions ready warned in the way his emerald eyes twinkled.

“Vicious, _do_ you sing?”

“Huh?” As always, Kanata’s topic starter threw Vicious through a loop; it would soon be a year and he didn’t see himself ever getting wiser on something like _small talk_. Vicious couldn’t help but scratch his eyebrow as he failed to answer for another moment. “What ya mean?”

“Ah? I’m asking if you sing at all. We’ll get a sentence or two out of you and then you…don’t carry it on, y’know?” He watched as Vicious shifted a bit, even turn his head up and away. Had it been anyone else… he’d think he was being shy or hiding a blush.

“Not really.” Vicious paused before he tapped his nervous energy out through the heel of his boot. He did sometimes, but to himself when he didn’t reach a town, or he couldn’t sleep, and a forest was too quiet for his liking… 

“Huh…”

“Y’don’t believe me ehh?”

“No.” Kanata said it with a playfully wide smile on his face. “And I feel like your tapping boot is telling on yo-” Kanata dodged a sudden roundhouse kick that came his way. He could tell it wouldn’t have hurt much, his experienced kick didn’t slice the wind, and it was slow enough that his still not fully trained reflexes could get out the way. Kanata couldn’t help but laugh some. “Please, Vicious? I wanna hear you.” He observed as Vicious stiffly turned away. This time his golden heels dug into the sun-dried soil as he looked up at the Clouds.

“Hmph… I’ll make up a crappy one later, alright?” Still Vicious fidgeted as he fished around for songs he knew but didn’t _know._ He had a song; it was almost like a lullaby and it would be so embarrassing… but he kept fishing around in Kanata’s patience to find any song but _it_. …To no luck. It now felt like he had several bad dice rolls and he had to pay out. He breathed in, and when he breathed out, he let his arms fall to the side, his back still turned in face of emerald eyes. He can’t believe he was gonna do it and It was gonna be a slow croon to start. “There was a song, made of sweet~ childhood memo~ries…It came from a sky that was gray but now full of rainbows~”

And it was true, he hinted at this story to Aegis and Kanata in the past. This song was something that a minstrel would sing. He had referenced his childhood to them, he accidentally told them so much, too much about the kind bard who taught him to sing and talk that he told them it was a lie. The truth sang out. 

“A song I heard, reminding me that we’re not a~lone. A gentle breeze that sang a song and cleared my rainy sky. And then our souls are swept away, away from here…~ Guided by light…” As he trailed off to the gentle lull of the tender song, he was secretly walking away. Kanata was a dreamy person, he focused so much on ‘the thing’ of events. He was someone who concentrated on committing things to memory. Unfortunately for Vicious, with Kanata paying so much attention, he could sense his voice trailing away in distance.  
  
“Huh? Where are you going? …It was really nice.” He took a few paces forward and was confused to see an outreached hand telling him to halt. “Vicious…?”

Vicious didn’t expect the song to make him feel so deeply. He felt a weight on his shoulders and worse of all a burn in his eyes. His thumbs were in his pockets as he nibbled on his lip in thought unseen to Kanata. His heart was pounding, and not with excitement, neither with glee… It felt _harsh_ with potent emotion he had tucked away but this time it refused to seal itself back up. Stupid Kanata…

“On second thought, Kanata, go on without me.”  
  
“What? I came all the way out here to get you!”  
  
“Shouldn’t’ve.”  
  
“Then why’d you follow me back?!”

“To getcha where ya needed to be, Moron.” He had a condescending whistle before he continued on, “sure a slow one.”  
  
“Vicious…!” Kanata was annoyed but not offended. “I’m sorry if I was pushy…”

That one was a zinger to Vicious. _Sorry_. …Being told sorry may not be a lot to others, but it was everything to him. He went from being an inhuman object; a despised concept that could breathe and feel to… Someone. A someone with a personhood to apologize to. Ask questions to. Wonder about, worry about, care about.

“I told ya… I’ll make one up. I can’t do that in that noisy soul suckin’ city.”

“Then it can happen later, way later! I really wanna make lunch, and you know we have that hungry streak in common!” Getting a small chuckle out of Vicious felt like a victory and he grinned ear to ear to hear it. Kanata felt his nervousness wash down his heart and shiver out his vessel. “So, c’mon.”

“My petite pal,” Vicious began, turning around with a toothy smirk; the kind that showed he really did have _fangs_ just like a dragon would. “No, not up here.” Not at his violet eyes! “Look below. Pfft. I’m serious, look a lil’ lower.” It was funny how he reluctantly did it. “Hahahah—there ya go! See my awesome birthmark? The well-known and badass celebrity stamp that grows in size as I do? I can’t go in there. Well, I could, but it’ll suck ass for the lot of ya.” He watched as the light went out of his round eyes, and the smile quite literally turn upside down. Somehow, beneath the first pricks of pain seeing that, Vicious felt satisfied in the familiarity of disappointment. He crossed his arms because he got cocky—then dropped it all again.  
  
“You can change your body, though.”  
  
“ _Huh._ ”  
  
“I mean—y’know… cover it—and change your pirate coat and the popped collar— Change it up and no one will be the wiser!” Rather than be smacked with the speed of a ninja like in the past, Vicious looked scandalized all the way up into his typically mean little eyes. “I’m not saying forever! You should really see this place! It’s incredible and I wouldn’t have been able to make it so far without you! So please… Just try it, Vicious?”

“…” It didn’t feel good hearing this, but like after the sting of cleansing herbs on a fresh wound, Kanata’s words came to a tolerable cool; ‘without you’ swayed him. “M’name’s famous too, Kanata.”

“Oh.” The persona of positivity actually thought about this! He really wanted him to go in the city… “It gotta be a V name…”  
  
“Oho? Why’s that?”

“So that there’s room for stutter or error!”

“Heh heh…” That was smart of him. He was glad to see Kanata scheme and plan more and more these days. It was also impressive how he could turn what should be a sinister suggestion into something cute. It should be absolutely terrifying that The Great Transgressor could shape shift, change how he looks, never be traceable… Or worse, brandish armor and claws at the drop of a thought, and yet, he saw it as a chance for fashion? Incredible.

“Okay so what about… Van?”

“Nah.”

“Vaughn?”

“Nope.”  
  
“Tch really? That name sounded really tough…”

“Sounds old as hell, man. Might as well call me Bob.”

“Haha! I’ll show you! ...Vincent?”  
  
“Don’t ya think that one’s a lil' close?”

“Yeah that’s why it’ll roll with the punches. If I get too close to that Vish sound, I can stammer into a Vincent instead. It’s really easy to nickname too! Like Vince or Vinny, y’know?”

“Now yer makin’ it sound permanent…”  
  
“I know, I know… I’m just kinda excited. And hungry.”  
  
“I’m gonna test drive Vaughn… Just to make it harder for you.” He couldn’t help but to smile seeing Kanata cross his arms and angrily pout. He seems to have meant it when he said, ‘I’ll show you!’. He told him to get rid of the coat look and flared cape collar, right? He didn’t have much in the ways of buttoned up, but he popped what was, and like the bloodsins, orange lights flew up like floating ember into his red streaked hair. The gasp made him bare his fangs in mischief. He removed the coat like it was truly clothes just to bother him.  
  
“Vicious…!” There was another moment of gawking, and a quick once over of darting eyes before Kanata turned his head away. Even out of eye-shot, he could sense transformative light, even hear it some, and he turned his head to see the hopefully covered change. He was pleasantly surprised! Vicious was still in black and red, his collar bones exposed as well as the up view of his chest, but his stomach and hip bones were completely covered with a 'tucked in' shirt. The new shirt had the cuff linked finished above his elbows he enjoyed for gunslinging, and his gloves covered more of his hands; they actually reached past his wrists now.

“This feels so boring.”

“It is, that’s why it’ll work so well!” Kanata chuckled before he carefully circled him, and conveniently Vicious was upright and kept still to allow the examination. Oh. The golden accents suddenly became chains around his forearm. So that golden color was apart of him too as well as those metal ‘clips’. “How do you feel about a neck tie?”  
  
Vicious huffed, “not like Orwin!” He saw Kanata ready to say ‘cravat’ and interrupted him, “not that frilly shit like that freaky Forte!”

“Okay. So, a neckerchief then.”

“What, y’got one to spare?”

“Huh—oh. Um, I do?”  
  
“Black goes wit’ anything, go on.” He watched as Kanata went into his bag, folding objects around to obtain it. Withdrawn, it was powder blue in color, definitely something Kanata would have. It was at first a simple square before he folded it once into a triangle... but then his face tangled into some kinda upset. “Snerk.”

“You’re a jerk once every few seconds, I swear.”

“That’s my M.O!” Vicious nearly cackled if he wasn’t surprised that Kanata had gotten so bold. He firmly grab his hand to jerk him forward.

“You said it yourself, we’re not half-assing things!”

“Eh?!” ‘Petite’ had gotten _strong._ Still a contrarian by nature, Vicious resisted, and lifted his arm up with Kanata hanging off it almost like a monkey on a tree branch. “What? Y’think I cant tie it on myself?!”

“I’d like to do it!” He learned to be argumentative too, and to glare, what a little pastel turd.

… And he found that really entertaining. Vicious snorted before he said, “fine.” He agreed, but it didn’t mean he’d make it easy. He wanted to test these newfound nerves Kanata earned. He at first lowered his friend's guard by placing him back on the ground by his feet, then, he picked him again in his arms against his strong and very warm frame. _There_ was the Kanata he knew! A flustering person, a stammering person who was rosy faced but still determined. Despite the proximity, Kanata did what he said he would do; tie the handkerchief around him. He tucked it down his shirt where his collarbones were once exposed. Vicious thought to himself, “So that’s how it is, huh?” Kanata held onto his shoulders until he was lowered back to the ground.

“Keep it there, will ya?” Kanata didn’t look at him when he said it, he instead got a pocket mirror from his bag. “Take a look! Its-”

“Fancy lookin’.” He could admit that. ...It was the fanciest he's ever looked. 

“Took the words out of my mouth,” Kanata chuckled. His stomach growled under it, so much time went by just chatting away in the middle of nowhere... Kanata tried not to be embarrassed when he waved for Vicious to follow him back to the city. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe this was really 6 pages omg. Anyways, the snippet of a song Vicious sang was My Tales from Tales of Legendia. He's gonna keep doing Tales of easter eggs as long as Kanata asks. 
> 
> Next chapter is *shenanigans*. Vicious, now "Vaughn" in the very big city? Uh oh. 
> 
> Oh and if 6 pages feels too short or just right? Please let me know. I'm trying to gauge a regular length for these chapters. Thank you for the support, everyone! Glad to have you here.
> 
> Additional trivia: Vicious' voice actor is a professional singer. I took the time to listen to his work and he's really good. Glad I have the excuse to carry it over!


End file.
